Method and apparatus for tufting upholstery and the like

ABSTRACT

A device and method for reinforcing the holes made through fabric by the fastening devices used in tufting upholstery and the like.

O Umted States Patent 1 1 1111 3,744,097 Shepherd [4 July 10, 1973 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TUFTING 654,886 7/1900 Freschl 24/90 B UPHOLSTERY AND THE L K 1,956,458 4/1934 5/356 UX 2,173,198 9/1939 Churchill 24/152 X [75] Inventor: Stephan C. Shepherd, Wmnetka, 111. 1,743,487 1/1930 Rutherford et al 24/90 B [73] Assignee: Maxant Button & Supply Co.,

Chicago, Ill. Primary Examiner-Paul R. G1l11am Ffled: p 6, 1971 Attorney- Dominik, Knechtel & 000111-1 1211 Appl. 110.: 131,714

[52] US. Cl. 24/90 B, 24/152, 5/356 511 1111. c1 A44h 1/18, A44b 9/00, A470 27/00 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 24/150, 152, 90 B,

24/103, 153; 5/356 A device and method for reinforcing the holes made through fabric by the fastening devices used in tufting [56] References Cited upholstery and the like.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 639,667 12/1899 Consoer 24/ 152 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PArEmw m V 3.744.097

FIG. 3

FIG. 8

INVENTOR .Sfephan 6. Shepherd fi w am ATTYS.

FIG. I

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TUFTING UPHOLSTERY AND THE LIKE This invention'relates, generally, to improved devices and methods for tufting upholstery and the like and, more particularly, to improved devices and methods for reinforcing the holes made through fabric by fastening devices used in the tufting process. More particularly still, it relates to an improved fastener support washer.

Upholstered furniture many times is tufted for the purpose of ornamenting it and, at other times, for the purpose of securing in place the padding and the like used in it. Regardless of the reason for tufting it, the tufting usually is accomplished by extending a wire eye, prong or nail-type fastener or the like affixed to a button through the layers of fabric and then securing the fastener in a fashion such as to secure the button in place in the depression created in the fabric.

A hole naturally results in a fabric when the fastener is extended through the fabric. It has been found that thesefasteners cause the fabric used on some upholstery to spread or tear about these holes, after a period of use. In extreme cases, the fabric spreads or tears to the extent that the buttons pull through the fabric. This problem is far more common with less expensive upholstery, since it usually is covered with a relatively lightweight fabric which tends to tear much more easily, particularly after a hole is made through it.

Many attempts have been made to overcome this problem of the fabric spreading or tearing, however, all of them have been generally unsatisfactory, for one reason or another. For example, it has been proposed to use grommets in the fabric and to extend the fastener through the grommet. While the'use of grommets reduces to a great extent the likelihood of the fabric tearing, it has not completely solved the problem. Furthermore, affixing these grommets in the fabric entails still another step in the tufting process, one which usually has to be performed by hand operation and therefore substantially increases the labor cost involved in producing the tufted upholstery.

Still another method of overcoming this problem has been to affix, in some manner, a backing in the form of another strip of fabric or the like to the back side of the fabric. This backing which is only applied in the area in which a tuft is to be formed tends to reinforce the fabric so as to prevent it from tearing. This method likewise substantially increases labor costs, since it also requires another step to be added to the tufting process.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved devices and methods for tufting upholstery and thelike.

More particularly, an object is to provide improved devices and methods for reinforcing the holes made through fabrics by the fasteners used in tufting upholstery and the like.

In this respect, a still more particular object is to provide an improved fastener support washer for use in combination with the fasteners used in tufting upholstery and the like for reinforcing the holes made through the fabric by the fasteners to prevent the fabric from spreading or tearing.

Still another object is to provide improved methods for tufting upholstery and the like which only requires the addition of a fastener support washer to the fastener normally used in the tufting operation, prior to extending the fastener through the fabric.

A still further object is to provide an improved fastener support washer of the above type which is easily secured to the upholstery in a fashion such as to prevent it from being unseated as stressis placed on it.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others thereof, which will be exemplified inthe method hereinafter disclosed, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. l-3 are side plan views of different types of fasteners which are exemplary of those presently used to tuft upholstery and the like;

FIGS. 4-6 are top, side and bottom plan views of a fastener support washer exemplary of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view generally illustrating the manner in which the fastener support washer is assembled with the fastener during the tufting process; and

FIG. 8 is a side plan view generally illustrating the assembled fastener support washer and the fastener, after the upholstery has been tufted.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In FIGS. l-3, there are illustrated three of the different types of fasteners 10 most commonly used to tuft upholstery and the like. These fasteners 10, as is generally well-known in the trade, usually have a clothcovered button 12 or the like integrally formed with or affixed to them in some fashion. The fasteners 10 can be in the form of a wire eye 11, as shown in FIG. 3, in which case the upholstery is tufted by securing a fastener thereto by means of string threaded through the wire eye. The fastener 10 also can be simply a nail 14 which is secured in place using a Tinnerman 13 or the like, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The fastener of FIG. 1 is of the prong-type, having two prong members 16 and 17 which are bent in opposite directions from one another at an angle of after they have been extended through the upholstery fabric. Fasteners other than those illustrated can be and are used to tuft upholstery, but they all necessarily form holes in the fabric as they are extended through it. As indicated above, with some of the fabrics presently being used in upholstering, the fabric spreads or tears about these holes. This problem is eliminated by a tufting method which according to a preferred embodiment of the invention includes the use of a separate fastener support washer with the fasteners 10 which are extended through the fabric and secured in the usual manner. These fastener support washers are of a construction such as-to spread the stress exerted by the fasteners 10 on the fabric over a larger area about the holes formed in the fabric so that spreading and tearing of the fabric is substantially, if not completely, eliminated.

These fastener supportwashers 18, as can be best seen in FIGS. 4-6, includes a base 1.9 having a number (eight as illustrated) of upstanding teeth 20 radially spaced about an aperture 21 in it. The base 19 advantageously is circular shaped and preferably has a diameter substantially corresponding to but slightly smaller than the button head with which it is to be used, so that the washers 18 are concealed or hidden by the button heads. For example, if used with a number 22 or number 30 cloth button, the base 19 can be of a diameter of approximately 0.460 and 0.700 inches, respectively. The aperture 21 is axially centered and its diameter is correspondingly proportioned so that the washer 18 can be used with the different types of fasteners used in tufting. The teeth 20 can have a length of approximately 0.150 inches, and a barb 22 approximately 0.075 inches long preferably is provided on the ends of the teeth 20. Teeth of this length will penetrate and seat in virtually all of the different upholstery fabrics presently being used, as described more fully below. The washer 18 can be of any suitable material of sufficient strength to prevent the teeth 20 from being easily broken, particularly during installation as the teeth penetrate the fabric. A material found to be particularly suitable is glass reinforced nylon.

Assume for the purpose of describing the use of the fastener support washer 18, that prong fasteners of the type shown in FIG. 1 are being used. Normal practice is to extend the fastener through the layers of fabric, until the button on its end is pushed or'pulled down tight in the depression which is created. The prongs l6 and 17 of the fastener then are spread apart to secure it and the button in place in the depression.

With the preferred method of the present invention, the installer merely slips one of the washers 18 onto the fastener 10, with the fastener extending through the aperture 21 in it and with the teeth 20 projecting away from the button head, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. The fastener 10, like before, then is pushed through the fabric and the button pulled down tight, so that the teeth 20 on the washer 18 perforate the fabric. The fastener then is secured, as before. Installation is that simple, and requires only a fraction of a second longer. Alternatively, the washer l8 first can be affixed to the fabric and the fastener l0'then extended through the aperture 21 in the washer. The first described method of affixing the washer, however, is the easiest and preferred method. Once the washer 18 is secured in place, the barbs 22 on the teeth prevent the teeth, and hence the washer, from being unseated as stress is placed on the fastener 10. Unseating of the washer 18 can be prevented in other ways, such as, for example, by placing a dab of adhesive on the base 19 to adhesively affix the washer 18 to the fabric. The use of the barbs 22, however, is preferred because of the simplicity of operation and their effectiveness in preventing unseating of the washers.

With the washer l8 installed, the stress exerted on the button, and hence the button fastener, is resisted by the washer l8 and is spread by it over the larger area covered by the teeth 20. Spreading or tearing about the hole created by the fastener 10 thereby is substantially, if not completely, eliminated. Furthermore, since the teeth 20 do not tear the threads of the fabric, as in the case of the fasteners 10, it is much less likely that the perforations resulting from the teeth will result in spreading or tearing.

it can be seen from the above description that the fastener support washers 18 can be easily and inexpensively molded. The washers, furthermore, can be easily and quickly installed simply by placing them on the fasteners 10 before the latter are extended through the fabric during the normal course of installation. Extended tests have shown that the barbs 22 on the teeth 20 prevent the washers from being unseated.

it is preferred that the fasteners 10 and the fastener support washers 18 be formed as separate units, however, it is apparent that the fasteners 10 can be formed with the teeth 20 integrally or otherwise formed or affixed directly to them. While such a construction will resist unseating of the fastener, the teeth 20 and the barbs 22 on them can pull out of the fabric, when stress is placed on the fasteners. Since the fasteners will tend to rotate as these stresses are exerted on and removed from them, the teeth and the barbs eventually can cut a hole in the fabric. Accordingly, it is preferred that a separate fastener support washer be used, since the teeth on the separate fastener support washers will not pull out of the fabric.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method. Accordingly, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Now that the invention has been described what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: i

1. A fastener support washer for use with fasteners used in tufting upholstery fabric and the like, said fasteners normally supportinga button head or the like and being extended through said fabric with the button head disposed atop said fabric and with the fastener secured on the backside of said fabric to tuft the latter, said fastener support washer comprising a base having an aperture therein proportioned to slidably receive therethrough one of said fasteners and a plurality of upstanding teeth each having a barb on the end thereof radially spaced about said aperture, said fastener support washer being disposed on said fastener beneath said button head and atop saidfabric, said teeth perforating said fabric and spreading the stress exerted upon said fastener to the larger area covered by said teeth and the barbs thereon securing said fastener support washer to said fabric and preventing it frombeing unseated as stress is placed on said fastener and permitting said fastener to move relative to said fastener support washer within said aperture through which it extends.

2. The fastener support washer of claim 1, wherein said base is proportioned to be hidden or concealed by said button head supported by said fastener.

3. The fastener support washer of claim I, being molded of a glass reinforced nylon material.

4. A method of tufting upholstery fabric and the like comprising the steps of affixing a fastener support washer having an aperture in the base thereof and a plurality of upstanding teeth each having a barb on the end thereof radially spaced about said aperture to said fabric by extending said teeth through said fabric, said barbs on said teeth securing said washer to said fabric, extending a fastener .through said aperture in said washer and said fabric, and then securing said fastener to complete a tuft, said fastener support washer spreading the stress exerted upon said fastener to the larger area covered by said teeth to prevent the fabric from spreading or tearing about the holes formed in said fabric by said fastener.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said fastener support washer is first affixed to said fastener by extending said fastener through said aperture in said washer, and both said fastener and said washer are affixed to said fabric. 

1. A fastener support washer for use with fasteners used in tufting upholstery fabric and the like, said fasteners normally supporting a button head or the like and being extended through said fabric with the button head disposed atop said fabric and with the fastener secured on the backside of said fabric to tuft the latter, said fastener support washer comprising a base having an aperture therein proportioned to slidably receive therethrough one of said fasteners and a plurality of upstanding teeth each having a barb on the end thereof radially spaced about said aperture, said fastener support washer being disposed on said fastener beneath said button head and atop said fabric, said teeth perforating said fabric and spreading the stress exerted upon said fastener to the larger area covered by said teeth and the barbs thereon securing said fastener support washer to said fabric and preventing it from being unseated as stress is placed on said fastener and permitting said fastener to move relative to said fastener support washer within said aperture through which it extends.
 2. The fastener support washer of claim 1, wherein said base is proportioned to be hidden or concealed by said button head supported by said fastener.
 3. The fastener support washer of claim 1, being molded of a glass reinforced nylon material.
 4. A method of tufting upholstery fabric and the like comprising the steps of affixing a fastener support washer having an aperture in the base thereof and a plurality of upstanding teeth each having a barb on the end thereof radially spaced about said aperture to said fabric by extending said teeth through said fabric, said barbs on said teeth securing said washer to said fabric, extending a fastener through said aperture in said washer and said fabric, and then securing said fastener to complete a tuft, said fastener support washer spreading the stress exerted upon said fastener to the larger area covered by said teeth to prevent the fabric from spreading or tearing about the holes formed in said fabric by said fastener.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said fastener support washer is first affixed to said fastener by extending said fastener through said aperture in said washer, and both said fastener and said washer are affixed to said fabric. 